A people smuggler has revealed how most of those responsible for people crossing the Channel live in the UK.
An insider has claimed that ‘three quarters’ of Channel smugglers live in Britain because they find ‘life easier’ here, where they rent houses under false names and drive on the road without a licence.
In an extremely revealing interview, the man said money made from human trafficking in northern France is “invested in companies” in Britain, adding that they are “happier” there.
He added that efforts to crack down on smugglers, including the controversial Rwanda scheme, would not deter people from making the journey.
It comes a day after pro- and anti-migrant campaigners faced off against rival protests in Dover as nearly 3,000 people have been confirmed to have crossed the Channel so far in 2023.
Migrants are seen crossing the Channel from France to England in a small boat with a P&O ferry in the background
Migrants trapped in inflatable dinghy rescued by French coastguard off Graveline and Cap Griz-Nez
It also comes days before Prime Minister Rishi Sunak unveils new tough laws that will prevent human rights law from being used to resist deportation.
The man, who has been kept anonymous and known only as Garmiyani to protect his identity, revealed what goes on behind the scenes in the human trafficking business during a sit-down interview with sky news.
Speak against Adam Parsonshe revealed that around 75 per cent of cross-Channel smugglers live in the UK ‘regardless of their nationality’.
He said, ‘They’re walking around London. They run around Leeds, Birmingham and Newcastle.
“They made money, invested it there and have businesses.
“They send people across the water and then they jump on the last boat and cross the water.”
The smuggler told the outlet that he and his colleagues were playing “hide and seek” with French police bent on stopping them from launching small boats to cross the Channel.
He said law enforcement on the other side of the Channel tried to crack down on the smuggling and was succeeding to some extent as people are being arrested and moving people ‘becomes more difficult’.
Two migrants walk together while housed at Napier Barracks in Folkestone, Kent
Migrants sit in an inflatable small boat as they try to reach the coast at Deal after crossing the Strait of Dover
Garmiyani said, “It used to be just (migrants hiding in) trucks. Now the police know from which points they send people, so they have identified the locations.’
He added that smugglers do not see themselves as criminals, but instead think they are running a legitimate business, similar to working in a restaurant or hairdresser.
He said: ‘We work and make money – we even help people. It’s our job to transfer people to the other side.’
He added that migrants arriving at camps in Calais or Dunkirk will often quickly meet intermediaries for the smugglers, and that the price of the journey they are offered depends on how many other people want to make the crossing, as well as their nationality. .
“If there are too many migrants, prices go up,” he said. “When the number of people is low, prices go down. It ranges from €500 to €2,500. Albanians pay more, Pakistanis pay more.’
Despite this, Garmiyani maintained that he was ethical in the way he went about his business, saying that he only allowed boats to leave from the shores of northern France when the wind was low for fear of drowning his clients.
Far-right groups protest in Dover on Saturday against the increasing number of migrants crossing the Channel
At the same time, a counter-demonstration took place in the city to welcome refugees
He said: ‘Some smugglers have no conscience – they are mafia’s, not smugglers and only in it for the money.
“They know the weather isn’t good, but they’re still playing with people’s lives.”
However, he added that this was still one of the easiest parts of the journey for many, especially those who have already traveled across the Mediterranean or from Greece to Italy.
On Saturday, there were protests in Dover, where most Channel migrants enter the UK, as rival groups of pro- and anti-migrant campaigners go head-to-head.
Kent Police formed a boundary between the groups congregating in the center of the port city as it was revealed that nearly 3,000 people have crossed the Channel so far this year.
In 2022, a record 44,666 migrants arrived aboard small boats, according to data from the Ministry of the Interior. More than 60 percent of those who apply for asylum are successful.
Since January 1, 2,953 migrants have arrived in the UK – an average of 48 per day. On January 25, about 321 people arrived in the UK to apply for asylum.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has vowed to crack down on the number of migrants crossing the Channel and will introduce new laws that will prevent human rights law from being used to stop deportations.
A clause in the Illegal Migration Bill, due to be introduced Tuesday by Interior Secretary Suella Braverman, is expected to apply a “right brake,” which Number 10 hopes will put an end to legal challenges.